And maybe how you can, too? Results may vary. — For the past few weeks, I’ve told everyone I know that I wanted a full-tuition scholarship at my next college. I’m at a pivotal point in my education where I’m transitioning from community college to a four-year institution. Although I was at the bottom of the educational barrel, I still…

If anyone needs a come-to-Jesus moment, it’s the sexual predators among us — Content warning: Sexual abuse, spiritual abuse, rape, and religious trauma. Please be kind to yourself and click away if you find this material overwhelming ❤ I recently spoke with some friends about spirituality, psychology, survivorship, and how these topics intersect. Somehow, we got on the subject of sexual misconduct within…

“Don’t Say Gay” — unless you’re demonizing an entire community — If you’ve been scanning the news lately, you’ve probably heard of a “Don’t Say Gay” bill striking controversy in Florida. For those who don’t know, the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, also known as Senate Bill 1834, is “Proposed state legislation, dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill,” which “would ban discussion…

Elon Musk claims to live a relatively modest lifestyle compared to his wealth and I have opinions about it — In a recent interview with Chris Anderson, head of the famous TED conference organizers, the richest man in the world Elon Musk stated that he doesn’t own a home right now. In most cases, the billionaire “rotates through friends’ spare bedrooms” as he travels to the Bay Area and other…

An original poem by Maya Strong — Here is an original poem about mental health, depression, coping, and self-reflection among other things. I hope you enjoy and perhaps resonate! I. Sometimes I shout into the void. Sometimes the void shouts back. As I understand it, the void had a rough childhood — I don’t pry, It gets…

It’s not all shabby pay, unprofessional clients, and dead-end gigs — When I tell non-writer folks what I do for a living, they tend to give me one of two responses. Either they enthuse about how cool it must be to peddle my words in exchange for cash or they cock a doubting brow and challenge the veracity of this statement. …

You could go viral or earn a few loyal readers, but at what cost? — Back in the olden days, before smartphones hijacked our attention, humans enjoyed simple pleasures. One of those simple pleasures, as those who grew up in the analog age will recall, was throwing loose change in the well while making a wish. Most adults knew that a wishing well would not…

Here’s why traditional psychological healing is demeaning and I demand a better solution — When I was 14 years old, my primary care physician told me that I probably had a mental illness — maybe depression, maybe anxiety, maybe bipolar disorder. They couldn’t be sure. The psychiatrist could sort the specifics of my condition out. They knew, without brain scans or extensive testing, that…

If trauma is a school of life, I want to transfer out — There’s a common line in the survivor community that I don’t believe belongs there. It goes a little something like this: “Everything I went through was worth it because it taught me XYZ.” The idea of crappy events being spiritual teachers resonates with many major spiritual modes. I’m not knocking the concept that the silver lining of…